Android 4.2 breaks Google Voice text messaging [Updated]

I was so excited to get Android 4.2 on my brand new 32GB ASUS Nexus 7 yesterday. And there certainly are lots of reasons to be excited: the 7-inch tablet now supports multiple users, quick settings in a new pull-down menu, gesture typing ala Swype in the stock Android keyboard, a new and improved clock app, and more little refinements here and there. Overall, it’s a great update – except for one thing. As it turns out, Google Voice is broken in the latest version of Android.

The problem is this: when attempting to create a new text message, the app immediately force closes when one begins to enter a new recipient. The app also force closes when attempting to create a new text message from a voicemail, and when selecting a phone number in the contacts app.

You can reply to a message in an existing SMS thread, and you can listen to voicemails, but that’s it. A quick Google search also revealed that it’s not just me (which is always my first thought), and that this aparently isn’t just affecting the Nexus 7, but also the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. In other words, it is definitely an issue with Android 4.2.

Hopefully Google will release an update to the Google Voice app quickly that will resolve this issue, as I’m not the only one who relies on Google Voice daily. Still, it’s baffling to me how something like this would even be released in the first place. Google Voice is a first-party, Google-created app, so you’d think that Google would take the time to test its latest version of Android with its own apps to make sure that everything is functioning as it should.

Update: Shortly after publication, I received a notification that an update for Google Voice was available, and the problem now seems to be fixed. That was quick!

About the Author

John Freml is the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.